Bath brush with bubble blowing means



Oct. 12, 1965 A. E. NEUMANNY 3,210,790

BATH BRUSH WITH BUBBLEBLOWING MEANS Filed May 16, 1962 '5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1 f3 .5

Oct. 12, 1965 A. E. NEUMANN 3,210,790

BATH. BRUSH WITH BUBBLE BLOWING MEANS Filed May 16, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 12, 1965 A. E. NEUMANN 3,210,790

BATH BRUSH WITH BUBBLE BLOWING MEANS Filed May 16, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 9 "Zara-122W? 4211M Maw /F:w5 Z5? 5 United States Patent 3,210,790 BATH BRUSH WITH BUBBLE BLOWING MEANS Arthur E. Neumann, Winnetka, Ill., assignor to Marvin Glass & Associates, Chicago, Ill., a partnership Filed May 16, 1962, Ser. No. 195,245 4 Claims. (Cl. 15-118) This invention relates generally to toys, and is more particularly concerned with a novel and improved bath toy capable of blowing soap bubbles.

Bath toys have been a popular item for a number of years, particularly since they provide inducement to a child to enter the bathtub and also serve to hold his interest during bathing. Generally, however, such toys have been primarily amusement devices with no other utility. The present invention is particularly directed to a device which combines utility and amusement, and which serves to interest the child in Washing himself. More particularly, the present invention is in the form of a bath brush which has incorporated therewith an automatic bubble-blowing device with the latter being operable as the brush is used to scrub the body.

According, it is the principal object of this invention to provide a novel and improved bath toy. A further object is to provide a bath toy affording automatic production of bubbles as the toy is manipulated. Still another object of the invention is to provide bathing means including an automatic bubble blowing device capable of producing bubbles as the bathing means is being used.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a selected embodiment of the invention seen in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of a bath brush embodying various of the features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation View of the device illus trated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged right side elevational view, partially in section and partially broken away, of the device illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, showing the device in the compressed position;

FIGURE 5 is a View similar to FIGURE 3 showing the device in the extended or relaxed position;

FIGURE 6 is a View taken along line 6-6 of FIG- URE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG- URE 4 with portions being removed;

FIGURE 8 is an exploded view of parts of the bubbleblowing mechanism;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the wiper arrangement; and

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIGURE 4, with parts omitted.

The device illustrated in the drawings is in the form of a bubble-blowing mechanism incorporated in a bath brush carrying the image of a bird and in which such mechanism is operated by the relative movement of two parts of the bath brush. In operation, bubble-forming liquid from a compartment 27 contained within the bath brush is drawn into a resilient tube of a pump 29. The relative movement of the two portions of the bath brush serves to kink the tube near its intake end and then squeeze the central portion of the tube causing a forceful ejection of fluid from it. The ejected fluid is directed to a flat sheet having circular apertures 71 therethrough. A film-forming mechanism 31 spreads films of the fluid across these apertures which are located in the bath brush at the eyes of the bird image. An air-blowing mechanism 33 is then actuated to blow jets of air through these film-covered apertures sending streams of bubbles out of the bath brush.

3,210,790 Patented Oct. 12, 1965 Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 13 designates a housing for a bath brush which is formed having an image of a comic bird which is attractive to youngsters. The housing 13 includes an upper or handle portion 15 and a lower or base portion 17 faced with sponge rubber or other material suitable for body scrubbing action. These two portions each contain four lugs 19 by which the portions are pivotally connected by four links or arms 21. The connecting arrangement is such that the two portions 15, 17 will be maintained in generally parallel relationship while permitting movement relative to each other, between an extended position (FIGURE 5) and a compressed position (FIGURE 4).

A cleansing element 23 suitable for use in washing or scrubbing ones body is aflixed to the base .portion 17. In the preferred embodiment the cleansing element 23 is a sponge, but a brush, cloth pad or the like can be used. As shown in FIGURE 3, an elastic membrane 25 connects the top of the sponge 23 to the handle portion 15 of the housing, thereby securing the edges of the sponge 23 against tearing.

Contained within the housing 13 are a compartment 27 for holding fluid, a pump 29, a film-forming mechanism 31, and an air-blowing device 33. These items co-operate to produce streams of bubbles.

The upper or handle portion 15 of the housing is made up of an outer casing 35 and an inner support frame 37. The outer casing 35 contains a pair of openings 39 positioned at the eyes of the bird image. It is through these openings 39 that the bubbles are blown. V

The compartment 27, designed to hold a supply of bubble-forming liquid, is formed as a part of the handle portion 15 (FIGURE 3).

The upper half 41 of the compartment 27 consists of four walls formed integral with the handle casing 35, and the tapering lower half 43 of the compartment 27 is formed as a section of the support frame 37. These two halves are joined together, as by cementing, in order to form the generally closed receptacle or compartment 27. This connection also serves to join one end of the support frame 37 to the casing 35. To complete the connection between the frame 37 and the casing 35, an elongated bracket 45 is provided at the opposite end of the support frame 37. This bracket 45 is held in a co-operating cavity 47 formed in the underside of the casing 35, securing the frame 37 to the casing 35 and thereby forming the handle portion 15 of the housing 13.

To provide for the entry and exit of the bubble-forming liquid, a fill hole 49 is provided in the upper portion of the compartment 27; and an outlet 50 in the bottom of the compartment 27 is provided through an outlet nipple 51. This fill hole 49 is plugged by an appropriate stopper 53 which doubles as a decorative button on the bird image.

The pump 29 is generally of the peristaltictype and includes a flexible resilient tube 55 positioned below the support frame 37. The intake end of the tube is seated on the outlet nipple 51 of the fluid compartment 27 The discharge end of the tube 55 is seated on the end .of a valve housing 57 which is formed integral with the support frame 37 near the center thereof. The central section of this depending tube 55 rests on a positioning element 59 which extends generally diagonally upward from the base portion 17 to which it is fixedly attached. To squeeze the tube 55 against the positioning element 59, a contact 61 is provided which extends downwardly from the support frame 37 in a location so that the contact 61 is disposed vertically above the tube 55. The

contact 61 is so shaped that when the housing portions specific length of the central section of the tube 55 between them.

The valve housing 57 to which the discharge end of the tube is connected contains a spring-loaded ball-check valve 63 in which the ball is normally seated against a seat provided within the housing, holding the valve in closed position. The tension on the spring is such as to prevent backflow into the tube 55, but such as to allow the liquid pressure build-up in the tube 55 created by the squeezing to easily displace the check and thus allow liquid flow through valve 63. Because the same length of tubing is squeezed each time, the same amount of liquid is discharged from the pump 29 on each compression stroke. Thus, there is provided a metering pump, extremely simple in construction and operation.

To connect the pump 29 with the film-forming means 31, an elongated passageway 65 is provided within the support frame 37. To provide this passageway 65, the support frame 37 is preferably formed in two halves, as illustrated in FIGURE 8. A suitable depression formed in the abutting surface of one of the halves creates the passageway 65. The two halves are then joined, as by cementing, to form the support frame 37 and the passageway 65 therewithin. The passageway 65 terminates in an opening 67 in the upper surface of the support frame 37. Thus, the passageway 65 provides a conduit for the transfer of bubble-forming liquid from the pump discharge to the upper surface of the support frame 37.

To provide structure suitable for the formation of films of bubble-making liquid, a section 69 of the support frame 37 is formed with a sheet-like shape having two apertures 71 therethrough. Those apertures 71, which in the illustrated embodiment are circular in shape, are a necessary part of the film-forming mechanism 31. To provide for a formation of a relatively thick film of bubbleforming liquid across these apertures 71, a concentric circular depression 73 is located in the upper surface of the sheet section 69 around each of the apertures. These depressions 73 allow a thicker film to be created than would a flat, smooth sheet. The thicker film accordingly provides for a greater number of bubbles than would a film of similar diameter but lesser thickness. Also the depressions 73 provide a reservoir for the fluid so that it does not flow away when the film breaks, but remains available to be spread across the apertures 71 again.

To spread the transferred fluid, which is pumped through the opening 67 in the center of the sheet section 69, across these bubble-forming apertures 71, a wiper arrangement or device 75 is provided. The wiper device 75 (FIGURE 9) includes a central supporting sleeve 77 with a pair of legs 79 disposed in a V arrangement at its one end. Each of these legs 79 contains an elongated slot 81 extending inwardly from its tip. In each slot 81 is disposed a flexible wiper blade 83. The opposite end of the wiper device 75 contains a pair of depending tabs (designated a front tab 85 and a rear tab 87) positioned generally at right angles to each other.

The wiper device 75 is disposed above and adjacent to the sheet section 69 of the support frame 37. It is pivoted about a small shaft 89 which extends upwardly from the support frame 37. To secure this placement of the wiper device 75, a matching shaft 91 is provided which extends downward from the underside of casing 35 and into the top of the wiper sleeve 77. The wiper blades 83 rest on the sheet section 69 of the support frame so that the blades 83 will spread the fluid into the depressions 73 and across the apertures 71. The positioning of the blades 83 is such that they will pass over their respective apertures 71 at the same time.

To impart oscillating motion to the wiper device 75, a post 93 is provided which extends generally vertically upward from the base 17. The post 93 is so positioned that it engages one or the other of the depending tabs 85, 87 when the housing portions are moved relative to each other. The engagement of a tab by the post 93 pivots the wiper device 75 and swings the blades 83 arcuately over the apertures 71. Thus, the co-action of the post 93 and tabs 75 and 87 moves the wiper blades 83 back and forth across the apertures 71 spreading fluid on each ass.

p To form bubbles from the films which have been spread across these apertures 71, the air blowing device 33 is disposed below them. The air-blowing device 33 includes a hollow chamber 95 which is supported underneath the support frame 37 by an air-duct element 97, which element 97 also carries a pair of upstanding air nozzles 99. As best seen in FIGURES 3 and 10, a support bracket 101 extends downward from the support frame 37 and carries the air-duct element 97. One end of the air-duct element 97 is formed in the shape of a nipple 103 upon which the air chamber 95 resides. The air chamber 95 is disposed in a generally horizontal position, transversely of the bath brush housing 13. The chamber 95 is flexible but has resilient characteristics so that it will be deformed by outside force but will spring back to its original shape upon the release of this force. The nozzles 99 extend upward from the duct element 97 and are positioned on axes which extend through the centers of the circular apertures 71 and which are transverse to the planes of the circles. As viewed in FIGURE 1, the air nozzles 99 serve as pupils of the eyes of the decorative bird image. The passages in the air-duct element 97 place the air chamber 95 in communication with the air nozzles 99. Thus when the air chamber 95 is squeezed, jets of air from the nozzles 99 blow through the circular apertures 71 and out of the openings 39 in the housing.

To provide a mechanism for squeezing the chamber 95, an elongated stop 105 (FIGURE 4) is positioned extending generally vertically upward from the base 17 and adjacent one side of the chamber 95. A second stop 107 extends generally vertically downward from the support frame 37 and is disposed adjacent the opposite side of the air chamber 95. The relative movement of the housing portions moves these stops towards each other, squeezing the air chamber 95 between them as shown in FIG- URE 4. Once the force so moving the housing portions is released, the resilient air chamber 95 returns to its original shape, spreading the stops 105, 107 and assisting in the return of the bath brush to its extended position. Thus, the chamber 95 biases the bath brush to its extended position.

The lower stop 105 performs a dual function; in addition to squeezing the air chamber 95, the stop 105 cooperates with the air-duct element 99 to prevent the handle portion 15 from pivoting in the opposite direction. In this connection, the location of the lower stop 105 (see FIGURE 5) on the base 17 is such that when the air chamber 95 has fully returned to its original shape, the

' lower stop 105 engages the side of the air-duct element 97 and prevents further movement in this direction.

In operation, the compartment 27 is filled to the desired level with a bubble-forming liquid, such as soapy water or a glycerine solution, and the stopper 53 is replaced in the fill hole 49. At this point, the bath brush is in the extended or relaxed position illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6.

As the bath brush is placed against and rubbed along a persons body, the sponge 23 is frictionally engaged by the persons skin. This frictional engagement of the base 17 causes the handle portion 15 to swing downward and to the right. References to the right and left hand sides are to the directions as shown in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5. The fact that the relative movement of the handle portion 15 has both a downward component and a lateral component aids in the overall operation of the bath brush. Because there is only slippery contact :between the base sponge 23 and the persons body, it would often be difficult to generate sufficient compressive force to operate the bubble-blowing mechanism if the portions of the l onsing weie connected so as to only slide sideways relative to each other and thereby provide only a lateral component of relative movement. This feature of providing a downward component of relative movement thus makes it easier to overcome the inherent resistance of the resilient air chamber 95 because the bath brush is being partially pressed between the hand of the user and his body.

As previously stated, as the handle 15 is pushed from the extended position to the compressed position (compression stroke) and allowed to return (return stroke), bubbles are blown through the housing out of the eyes of the bird.

Functionally, as the handle 15 is pressed towards the base 17, the air chamber 95 is squeezed. This causes jets of air to blow bubbles from films which have been spread across the apertures 71 by the wiper device 75. At the same time, the central section of the flexible tube 55 is drawn against the positioning element 59; and the tube 55 is kinked near its intake end, illustrated in FIGURE 3.

As the compression stroke proceeds, the post 93 engages the rear tab 87 of the oscillating wiper device 75 and swings it in a clockwise direction. As the wet wiper blades 83 pass over the circular apertures 71 and the depressions 73 in which there is a residue of fluid, they spread films across the apertures 71. The right wiper blade (as viewed from above in FIGURE 7) spreads a thicker film than does the left because it has just moved from the center of the sheet section 69 whence bubbleforming liquid has been pumped.

At the end of the compression stroke, the depending contact 61 squeezes the flexible tube 55 against the posi tioning element 59, as shown in FIGURE 4. The squeezing of the tube 55, which has been previously kinked near its intake end to shut ofI supply and prevent backflow causes the fluid contained therein to flow out the discharge end. The liquid pressure in the tube 55 opens the ballcheck valve 63 and forces fluid through the passageway 65 and onto the sheet section 69 of the support frame.

As the force pressing the handle 15 toward the base 17 is removed and brush is drawn in the opposite direction in scrubbing motion, the return stroke begins. The re silient air chamber 95, which biases the brush toward the extended position, aids in the return stroke by forcing apart the stops 105, 107.

As the handle 15 moves upward and into the left relative to the base portion 17, the depending contact 61 dis.- engages from the central section of the resilient, flexible tube 55. No backflow from the passageway 65 into the tube 55 occurs because of the spring-loaded check valve 63.

At the end of the compression stroke, after the metered amount of fluid had passed through the valve 63, the pump pressure drops, and the ball check is reseated. Upon the disengagement of the contact 61, the resilient tube 55 returns to its original shape thereby creating a vacuum. This vacuum refills the tube by drawing in fluid from the compartment 27 as soon as the bath brush reaches its extended position and the intake end of the tube 55 has become unkinked.

Also during the return stroke, the post 93 engages the forward tab 85 of the wiper device 75. This engagement moves the wiper blades 83 in a counter-clockwise direction across the apertures 71. In this movement, the left hand Wiper blade, which is moving from the center of the sheet section 69 where fluid is supplied, spreads a thick film across the left side aperture. Thus, both the apertures 71 are coated with thick films of bubble-forming liquid, ready to produce bubbles during the next compression stroke.

Various of the features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is: I

1. A bath brush including means for blowing bubbles from a liquid contained therein when operated in scrubbing movement, which brush comprises a housing having a handle portion with an opening in an upper surface thereof and a base portion pivotally connected to said handle portion for movement relative thereto, a cleansing article attached to said base portion, a generally closed compartment attached to said housing for holding the bubble-making liquid, and means mounted within said housing in communication with said compartment and operable in response to relative movement of said housing portions to repeatedly form bubbles from the liquid and blow bubbles through said housing opening.

2. A bath brush including means for blowing bubbles from a liquid contained therein when operated in scrubbing movement, which brush comprises a housing having a handle portion with an opening in the upper surface thereof and a base portion connected to said handle portion by a pair of spaced apart generally parallel links in a manner affording relative swinging movement therebetween, a cleansing article attached to said base portion; a generally closed compartment disposed within said housing for holding the bubble-making liquid; a sheet mounted within said housing having a generally flat surface with an aperture therein, said aperture being aligned with said housing opening, means connected to said compartment for pumping bubble-making liquid from said compartment to said sheet, means mounted Within said housing for forming a film of bubble-making liquid across said aperture, and means mounted within said housing for blowing air through said aperture, the relative movement of the handle portion and base portion effecting the sequential operation of said pumping means, said film-forming means and said air-blowing means so that streams of bubbles are blown through said housing opening.

3. A bath brush including means for blowing bubbles from a liquid contained therein when operated in scrubbing movement, which brush comprises a housing having a handle portion with an opening in the upper surface thereof and a base portion connected to said handle portion for pivotal movement relative thereto, a cleansing article attached to said base portion, a generally closed compartment attached to said housing for holding the bubble-making liquid, said compartment having a lower outlet, peristaltic pumping means including a flexible resilient conduit having an intake end and a discharge end, said intake end being connected to said compartment outlet, check valve means at the discharge end of said conduit permitting flow therethrough in only one direction, means mounted within said housing for kinking said conduit at a point near said inlet end, and means mounted within said housing for squeezing said conduit along a measured length between said kinked portion and said discharge end whereby a metered amount of fluid is expelled from said discharge end, and means mounted within said housing for forming bubbles from the expelled liquid, the relative movement of the handle portion and base portion effecting the sequential operation of said kinking means, said squeezing means and said bubble-forming means so that streams of bubbles are blown through said housing opening.

4. A bath brush including means for blowing bubbles from a liquid contained therein when operated in scrubbing movement, which brush comprises a housing having a handle portion with an opening in the upper surface thereof and a base portion connected to said handle portion for pivotal movement relative thereto, a cleansing article attached to said base portion, a generally closed compartment formed as a part of said handle portion for holding the bubble-making liquid, said compartment having a lower outlet, a flexible resilient conduit having an intake end and a discharge end, said intake end being connected to said compartment outlet, means adjacent the discharge end of said conduit for permitting only discharge flow therethrough, a positioning element formed as a part of said base portion for engaging said conduit at an intermediate portion thereof so that relative movement of said housing portions will kink said conduit at a point near said intake end, means attached to said handle 7 portion and co-operable with said positioning element for squeezing said conduit along a measured length between said kinked portion and said discharge end whereby a metered amount of fluid is expelled from said discharge end, a sheet attached to said handle portion having a generally flat surface with an aperture therein, said aperture being aligned with said housing opening, a passageway formed in said handle portion and having an inlet and an outlet, said conduit discharge end being in communication with said passageway inlet, said outlet communicating with said sheet surface, an oscillating wiper arrangement mounted in said handle portion adjacent said sheet surface, a post connected to said base portion for engaging said wiper arrangement, an air nozzle attached to said handle portion positioned adjacent to said sheet aperture, a resilient hollow chamber in communication with said nozzle, and a pair of stops attached to said housing portions so that relative movement of said portions squeezes said chamber between said stops, the relative movement of the handle portion and base portion etfecting the sequential kinking of said conduit, the squeez- 8 ing of said conduit, the engagement of said wiper arrangement by said post so as to spread the expelled fluid across said aperture, and the squeezing of said chamber by said stops so as to blow air out of said nozzle and through said aperture whereby streams of bubbles are blown through said housing opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,599,713 9/26 Perlman 15-4 2,412,397 12/46 Harper 103148 2,628,449 2/53 Ralzen 467 2,769,397 11/56 Bolger 103148 2,802,298 8/57 Larin 468 3,008,263 11/61 Ellman 467 3,060,472 10/62 Horton 15-4 3,093,925 6/63 Greene 4668 3,120,676 2/64 Ballantyne 15553 X CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

JAMES W. LOVE, WALTER A. SCHEEL, Examiners. 

1. A BATH BRUSH INCLUDING MEANS FOR BLOWING BUBBLES FROM A LIQUID CONTAINED THEREIN WHEN OPERATED IN SCRUBBING MOVEMENT, WHICH BRUSH COMPRISES A HOUSING HAVING A HANDLE PORTION WITH AN OPENING IN AN UPPER SURFACE THEREOF AND A BASE PORTION PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID HANDLE PORTION FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO, A CLEANING ARTICLE ATTACHED TO SAID BASE PORTION, A GENERALLY CLOSED COMPARTMENT ATTACHED TO SAID HOUSING FOR HOLDING THE BUBBLE-MAKING LIQUID, AND MEANS MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID COMPARTMENT AND OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID HOUSING PORTIONS TO REPEATEDLY FORM BUBBLES FROM THE LIQUID AND BLOW BUBBLES THROUGH SAID HOUSING OPENING. 